Percy's Choice
by Akatsuki Child
Summary: Sequel to Percy's Nightmare. Percy made the decision, now he has to make a move. Of course, it won't be that easy. Percy's POV.


**Okay a quick note before the story. This is the sequel to Percy's Nightmare. So, here it is. I thought it turned out really well.**

**One last thing, I dedicate this story to PERCABETHGIRL-12 and ZoeNightshade2214 for inspiring me to post this. You guys rock!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO! Rick Riordan does!!**

--

Leaving Calypso's island was hard. I thought it was cruel how the Fates were sending her heroes that had to leave, knowing she would fall in love with them. But I couldn't stay. I had to go back and try to stop the war. I had to stop Kronos from taking over. Plus, I couldn't leave my mom or my friends, Tyson, Grover, Chiron….Annabeth.

As I sailed back to camp on a shabby raft, I could think of nothing else but Annabeth and her stormy, gray eyes and her blonde curls.

Annabeth was like my personal puzzle. Every time I thought I had her figured out, I would find out I was missing something: a piece to the puzzle that would complete it. I was always thinking about her, trying to understand her. She was a mystery that I couldn't figure out.

And I loved it.

However, the one aspect of Annabeth that took up most of my thinking time was her trust in me. I knew she _used _to trust me, but now…I don't know if I can say the same thing. I figured the level of trust between us had dropped, and it would take some effort to get those points back. That lost trust would only make it harder for me to get her to believe what I had to say.

As I was getting closer to camp, I remembered what Rachel said in my dream.

Does Annabeth really only have eyes for Luke? I realized that whenever someone mentioned him, her whole demeanor changed, and she almost seemed…_scared_. That just made me really confused.

I still don't get why she thinks he'll come back. He obviously wasn't going to switch sides anytime soon.

The raft finally reached the beach of Camp Half-Blood. There was no activity, but there was smoke rising from the Pavilion. I quickly ran there to find them burning my shroud. They think I'm dead? Exactly how long was I gone?

"_Time…Time is difficult here, Percy." _That's what Calypso had said.

I watched as Annabeth wiped at her eyes before she stepped up to a podium and said,

"He was probably the bravest friend I've ever had. He…" She looked straight at me. "He's right there!" She shouted and pointed at me.

Everybody gasped. They were frozen with shock for a while, but then some people came up and clapped me on the back before going to their normal activities. I saw Annabeth storming towards me with fury and disbelief in her eyes. Chiron was following her, but he made sure to keep his distance.

"Where have you been?!" She shouted before giving me and quick and fierce hug. Despite her wicked temper, I was glad to see her.

"I think we should discuss this at the Big House." Chiron stated and picked us up, put us on his back, and then trotted away to the Big House.

When we got there, I explained what happened, making sure to leave out the part about Calypso. Instead, I told them I got lost.

It didn't fool them.

"You met Calypso, didn't you?" Annabeth asked. I was sitting down, and she was towering over me with her hands on her hips. There seemed to be anger and another emotion I couldn't place in her eyes.

She took my silence as a 'yes'. Her nostrils flared with anger as she stepped back. She looked out the window that over looked some of the camp with her arms crossed.

"She told you you could stay with her on the island, didn't she?" She asked. I couldn't pinpoint her tone of voice.

"Yes," I answered. She didn't say anything after that.

"Well," Chiron started weakly in an attempt to break the awkward and tense silence. "The important thing is you came back."

I nodded, but my attention was still on Annabeth. Suddenly, a thought popped into my head.

"While I was on the island," I couldn't help but notice how rigged Annabeth got when I said that. "Hephaestus told me I knew how to get through the Labyrinth, and I do now."

"And how do we do that?" Annabeth asked, still not facing me.

"We need a mortal, someone who can see through the Mist." Once I said that, she turned to me and her eyes narrowed.

"No way."

"Annabeth, this might be our only way if Luke has the string."

"But this is my quest! I need to lead it! Not some mortal girl of yours!"

Now that stung. My temper flared. Rachel was still my friend, and Annabeth didn't need to act like this. It just proved even more that her fatal flaw was hubris.

"Okay, then. How do you suggest we go through the Labyrinth? The same way we've been doing it? Because that doesn't work."

"I'm not going to trust my life with a mortal."

"So then we're just going to wander around aimlessly while Luke attacks camp, right?" That was below the belt, and I knew it. I saw tears run down her face.

She stepped up to me and slapped me across the face.

I froze, my head slightly turned. I stared at her in shock. She just stared back, more tears falling, and then she fled the Big House. I was still in shock as I stared after her. My cheek was starting to sting, but I didn't do anything.

I couldn't believe we just had a major fight.

The worst part: it was my entire fault.

I felt Chiron's penetrating gaze on me. I knew he was going to say something.

"We all have choices," He started in a low voice that made me think he was talking to himself. "We can't always get the chance to make the right choice, but whatever you do, Percy," He said now addressing me. "You shouldn't regret it. Of course, there are exceptions…but we won't get into that. When the chance arrives, you should apologize."

I opened my mouth to retort, but he held up his hand to stop me. "I know what you're going to say. Annabeth is just a little jealous. This is her first time leading a quest, and she probably feels you are taking that experience away from her. And with the situation with Rachel…well, I would be surprised if she wasn't jealous."

I let that sink in, and I understood what he was saying.

"You should go." Chiron spoke once again. "You and Annabeth have much to do yet." I nodded and stepped outside.

**--(AN/ Okay, so we are skipping WAY ahead to where Percy tells Annabeth about Luke becoming one with Kronos.)**

"No! It can't be possible!" Annabeth sobbed and collapsed to her knees, covering her face with her hands. Part of me wanted to go and comfort her, but the other part couldn't help feeling hurt and a little angry. Why, you ask? Well, I was hurt because I now knew she really liked Luke. I was angry because even after everything he's done to her and to us, she still believed he would come back.

In the end, I just decided to stay silent, afraid I might say the wrong thing, what with my temper starting to flare. I glanced over at Rachel and saw her looking at Annabeth with pity.

After a while, her sobs quieted down, and she started staring at her knife. She sighed and set it down next to her makeshift bed. She glanced around and caught my gaze. I held it, but she quickly averted them to the walls, the ceiling, anywhere else but me. She finally settled for looking at the ground.

I glanced back at Rachel and saw her sleeping. "I'm sorry." I said, speaking to Annabeth. She didn't say anything so I took that as a sign to continue. "I'm sorry for the things I said back at camp. I'm sorry for treating you the way I have been." Annabeth still didn't say anything. I sighed angrily. "Would you please say something?!"

Suddenly, I felt something hit my chest, sending me backwards onto the stone ground. I realized it was Annabeth, and she was clinging to me like I was her lifeline. I wrapped my hands around her waist and let her cry into my shirt.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, P-Percy." She said and allowed me to sit up. She sat by my side as she wiped at her cheeks.

"What are you apologizing for?" I asked.

"Ever since we started this quest, I've been unfair and unreasonable. I hate fighting with you, Percy, and every time we do, I feel like everything gets harder. You're my best friend, and it's hard not being able to talk to you."

I swallowed the huge lump in my throat. _You're my best friend…_

Was that all we were ever going to be?

She then gave me another hug, softer this time.

"I'm always here for you, Annabeth." It wasn't a lie; I would always be there, no matter what.

Her grip around me tightened. "Thanks, Seaweed Brain."

I smiled. "No problem, Wise Girl."

Everything was okay now, but of course, all good things must come to an end.

The next day, when we were coming out of the Labyrinth, Rachel and Annabeth got into a fight. See, Rachel wanted to come back to camp with us, but her being mortal and all, she couldn't.

"I don't care if you can see through the Mist," Annabeth said icily. "There are magical borders around the camp and they won't let you through."

"Why are you always on my case? It's so annoying!" Rachel replied irritability.

"Guys, c'mon! Can't we all get along?" I pleaded to them. They didn't listen. They just continued bickering.

Each minute it was getting worse. Grover started chewing on his shirt, a habit of his that meant he was nervous. I sighed, but then I heard my name being said and I couldn't help but listen to what they were saying.

"How did Percy even get into this?" Annabeth asked.

"You brought his name up! Besides, I know he's part of the reason why you hate me!"

Wait, what?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grover's jaw drop in shock, like he was told that enchiladas were causing harm to nature.

"What are you talking about?" Annabeth asked, but her voice seemed to falter.

Rachel seemed calm down a bit. "You're jealous. I can see it. You think that because we spend time together, he'll choose me instead of you."

Annabeth just stared at the girl.

"However you don't have to worry." Rachel continued. "It's as plain as day that he likes you."

I blushed a little because she was right.

Rachel shook her head. "Forget about me coming to your guys' camp. I think I should get going." Rachel said. "Bye, guys." She said and then left us.

I glanced at Annabeth. She was looking at the ground, but then suddenly said,

"Let's go back to camp, guys."

I had no choice but to follow her.

--

When we got back, I told Chiron about Luke.

"I feared as much." He said somberly.

After that, things went by in a blur. It was coming close to the end of summer, and campers would either be going home for the school year or staying at camp.

I didn't talk to Annabeth or Grover very much. I knew Grover was busy with the Council and all, but whenever I saw Annabeth and tried to talk to her, she made an excuse and left me alone. I saw Tyson every now and then, but he was usually at the forges with Beckendorf.

Finally, it was the end of the camp year, and people had to leave by noon. I was at the top of Half-Blood Hill with Annabeth. She was staying for a couple months to study Daedulus's laptop. Argus was waiting for me at the bottom of the hill.

Despite all that we went through, I would have been hurt if Annabeth hadn't come to say good-bye to me.

"Listen, Annabeth--" I thought about Mount St. Helens, Calypso's Island, Luke, and Rachel Elizabeth Dare, and how suddenly everything had gotten so complicated. I wanted to tell Annabeth that I didn't really want to be so distant from her. Then Argus honked his horn down at the road, and I lost my chance.

"You'd better get going," Annabeth said. "Take care, Seaweed Brain." She started to walk off, leaving me to stare after her.

I thought about what Chiron said many days ago. He said that when the chance arrives, we should be able to make the right decision. But while on the quest, I realized we can't always wait around, hoping that something will happen on its own. Sometimes, we have to go out of our comfort zones and put ourselves out there.

Sometimes, we have to make our own chances, make our own fate.

"Annabeth, wait!" I called, a surge of confidence coursing through my veins like adrenaline. Thank the gods she listened and turned around. "Annabeth, I don't want things to be like this, always teetering on the edge of a knife."

I started calming down, and in a softer voice said, "Rachel was right, Annabeth. I would have chosen you over her. I-I love you." My face felt red as I waited for her to say something. She walked up to me, and I thought she was going to slap me again, but instead, she gave me a kiss.

I was shocked at first, but then I wrapped my arms around her. She wound her arms around my neck before pulling back for air.

"I love you too, Seaweed Brain." She said. I smiled and kissed her again.

At that moment, I couldn't help but think that I had made the right choice.

--

**So how was it? Review and let me know please!**

**--Akatsuki Child**

**(Edited July 30, 2009)**


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